How to Apply for Section 8 in the State of Illinois
In the state of Illinois, section 8 is a federally-funded housing rental assistance program that assists low-income individuals and families. Whether you are using project-based section 8 or a voucher through tenant-based section 8, the renter applies 30 percent of his own income to the rent and the government is responsible for paying the remaining rent. The difference between the two programs is the physical residency; project-based section 8 provides apartment rentals that are government funded, while tenant-based section 8 gives vouchers to individuals that are then applied to the rent at an apartment of their own choosing.
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Instructions
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How to Apply for Illinois Project-Based Section 8
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Locate your county's Public Housing Authority, or PHA. For a list of all PHAs in the state of Illinois by county, visit the Illinois Housing Development Authority's website at IHDA.org.
From the homepage, click on "Statewide Resources" on the left-hand navigation bar. On the subsequent webpage, check the box marked "All Rental Apartments Financed by IHDA" and check any of the three boxes beneath it that apply. If you need additional accessibility options, use the section below titled "Accessible and adaptable apartments financed by IHDA" to narrow your search. On the same page, choose your county by clicking on the Illinois map or picking your county from the drop-down menu. Click the "submit" button at the bottom of the page for a list of available section 8 apartment complexes in your area.
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Scroll down through the list of apartment complexes in your county. Read the last column of each apartment complex to determine if the complex is currently in the "leasing," phase, which means you may apply for section 8 housing, or in "completed" status, which indicates that it is not currently accepting applications for section 8 apartment rentals. If no apartment complexes are leasing, check back regularly for an opening.
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Call or stop by any section 8 apartment complexes in your area that are currently in the leasing phase. Fill out a project-based 8 housing application in person at the apartment complex. Eligibility is based on federally-mandated section 8 income limits as well as the median income level in your area as it compares to your own income. In other words, the family with less income than your county's median income will qualify for section 8. For a list of FY 2011 income limits, visit Huduser.org/portal/datasets/il/il10/index.html.
How to Apply for Illinois Tenant-Based Section 8
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Locate your county's Public Housing Authority, or PHA. For a list of all PHAs in the state of Illinois by county, visit the Illinois Housing Development Authority's website at IHDA.org.
From the homepage, click on "Statewide Resources" on the left-hand navigation bar. On the subsequent webpage, check the box marked "Other Housing Organizations" and check the "Public Housing Authority" box beneath it. On the same page, choose your county by clicking on the Illinois map or picking your county from the drop-down menu. Click the "submit" button at the bottom of the page for your county's PHA contact info.
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Contact your county's Public Housing Authority Office by phone, email or fax to inquire about tenant-based section 8 voucher availability. If your PHA is not accepting voucher applications, ask to be added to the waiting list. If the waiting list is closed, check back regularly with the PHA.
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Apply for a tenant-based section 8 voucher if your county's local PHA Office is accepting applications. Applications can be filled out in person at your county PHA Office, or mailed to your home address. Eligibility is based on federally-mandated section 8 income limits, as well as the median income level in your area as it compares to your own income. In other words, the family with less income than your county's median income will qualify for section 8. For a list of FY 2011 income limits, visit Huduser.org/portal/datasets/il/il10/index.html.
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